Binder for sheet materials



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,053

I G. M. DANIELS BINDER FOR SHEET MATERIALS Filed Sept. 21, 1927 Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNETED srAi'ss PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. DANIELS, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BINDER FOR SHEET MATERIALS.

Application filed September 21, 192 Serial No. 220,934.

The invention is embodied in a binder,

comprising first a rigid oblong back having a front abutment face on which the inner edges of sheet articles may bear, the back be ing provided with T-shaped guiding slots extending across the abutment face and through an edge of the back and a fixed clamping jaw projecting from another edge 1 of the back to bear on the inner article of a group and provided with means for engaging said article to prevent, edgewise displacement thereof, and secondly, a movable clamping jaw having T-shaped tongues slidable in said slots toward and from the fixed jaw and provided with manually operable locking means whereby it may be locked to the back at various distances from the fixed jaw to confine sheet material interposed between the jaws and bearing on the abutment face.

The preferred embodiment of the invention includes also a plurality of loose independent plates, each having a 'T-shaped tongue 'slidable in either of the T-shaped slots in. the back and a sheet-engaging tooth projecting from a side of the plate, the plate being invertible and interposed between the clamping jaws.

Of the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 shows in perspective a binder embodying the invention, the back, hereinafter described, being providedwith covers adapted to bear on opposite sides of a group of sheet articles interposed between the clamping aws.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the loose independent plates.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing two of the loose plates bearing on opposite sidesof a sheet article, a portion of which is shown by dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the preferred form of the backand portions of the covers shown by Figure 1.

Figureo is a perspective view of the movable clamping aw.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the slide constituting an element of the means employed for locking the movable aw in various adjusted positions.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 4 with the clamping jaw in place, the slide of the movable clamping jaw being shown in its unlocking or releasing position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Figure 7 showing the slide in its locking position. I

Figure 9 1s a section on the planeindicated .by the line 99 of Figure 4, and showing also the movable clamping jaw, some of the loose independent plates, and portions of two sheet articles confined by the binder.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a portion ofthe movable jaw and the locking. slide, and the slideadjusting pinion, hereinafter described, separated from the jaw and formed as a removable key.

Figure 11 is a perspective view similar to a portion of Figure 42 and showing a modilied construction.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another modification, hereinafter described;

Figure18 is a section on line 1813 of Figure 12. v

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures. 7

My improved binder comprises a rigid oblong back having a front abutment face and T-shaped guiding slots extending across the abutment face and through an edge of the back.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown by Figures 1, i, 7 and 9, the back includes a single elongated member 12 which may be a wooden bar, and a thin front member composed preferably of sheet-metal and made in two sections fixed to the back member 12 as best shown by Figure 4, although, if desired, the front member may be made in a single piece of sheet-metal as shown by Figure 11. 7

Referring to the embodiment in which the front member includes spaced-apart sections, 13, 13 designates said sections, each of which includes a body portion and upper and lower flanges 14 and 15 fixed to the back member and spacing the back and front members apart. Each front member section has a transverse slot 16 communicating with the space between the members, and the upper flange 14 has a longitudinal slot 17 communieating with said space and with the slot 16. The slots 16 and 17 constitute the equivalent of a T-shaped slot extending across the back member, the slot 16 constituting the mouth and the slot- 17 the inner portion of a T- shaped slot. The construction of the T- shaped slots may be modified as indicated by Figures 12 and 13 in which 16 designates a slot portion corresponding to the slot 16, while 17 designates a slot portion corresponding to the slot 17. In this modification, the T-shaped slot may be formed in a block 18 suitably fixed to the back member 12 as by driving it tightly into a recess formed in the back member. In the modification shown by Figure 11, the sheet-metal front member designated by 13 extends the entire length of the back member 12 and is provided with two slots 16 in its body portion and two longitudinal slots 17 in its upper flange.

It will be seen that one side of the back presents an abutment face on which the inner edges of sheet articles a, a may abut as indicated by Figure 9.

Fixed to the back and projecting from one edge thereof is a clamping jaw 2.0 adapted to bear on the inner edge of the lower article a, as shown by Figure 9, and provided with sheet-engaging means preferably embodied in upstanding spurs 21.

22 designates a movable clamping jaw having T- shaped tongues 23 slidable in the T-shaped slots in the back toward and from the fixed jaw 20. The movable jaw 22 is channelled, as best shown by Figures 5 and 9, and is provided with manually operable lock-- ing means whereby it may be locked to the back at various distances from the fixed jaw 20 to confine any desired number of sheet articles interposed between the jaws and bearing: on the abutment face.

I prefer to embody the locking means of the movable jaw in a slide 2 1 movable endvise in the channel of the jaw 22 and provided with obliquefaces arranged to bear on portions of the back when the slide is moved in one direction and thereby force the movable jaw outwardly from the back and cause its T-shaped tongues 23 to grip the walls of the T-shaped slots in the back and lock the aw in any position to which it may be adjusted, The arrangement of the oblique faces 25 is such that when the slide 24; is in the position shown by Figure 7, the faces 25 are out ofcontact with the back and the movable jaw is loose. When, however, the slide is moved to the position shown by Figure 8, the faces 25 bear on portions of the back adjacent the T-shaped slots therein in such manner as to force or crowd the slide 2% and the movable jaw outwardly and thus cause the T-shaped tongues 23 of the movable jaw to grip the walls of the T-s'haped slots and lock the jaw. it will be seen by comparing Figures 7 and 8 that when the slide is in the positionshown by Figure 7, the T-shaped tongues 23 are loose, and when the slide is moved to the position shown by Figure 8, the T-shaped tongues are forced outward from the position shown by Figure 7. This operation is facilitated by forming slots 2? in the slide 24, said slots rendering the portions of the slide having the oblique faces resilient. I

To permit the manual movements of the slide .to the positions shown by Figures 7 and S, 1 provide the movable aw 22 with a pinion 28 and the slide with a rack 29 meshing with the pinion so that rotation of the pinion moves the slide endwise. The pinion may be provided with trunnions 30 j ou-rnalled in the side portions of the movable jaw, one of the trunnions being provided with a handle or lever 31 adapted to be moved by the operator, the pinion being inseparably connected with the movable jaw 22. If desired, however, the pinion may be separable from the movable jaw and formed on a key 32 (Figure 10) having a trunnion 33. The key and trunnion are insertable in orifices 34 and 35 in the movable jaw and are so inserted when it is desired to operate the binder and remove after the operation.

The movable aw 22 is preferably provided with sheet-engaging means preferably embodied in teeth or spurs 36 projecting from one side of the jaw and adapted to penetrate the outer sheet of an article a as shown by Figure 9. v

The binder as thus far described may be used without the loose independent plates, hereinafter described, to confine an assemblage of any of the articles mentioned in the opening portion of the specification In many cases, however, T find it desirable to employ a plurality of loose independent plates 38-which may be constructed as shown by Figure 2. Each. plate has a T-shaped tongue 39 corresponding in form to the tongues 23 of the movable jaw 22 and adapted to slide in the T-shaped slots of the back, and with a tooth 4O projecting from one side of the plate.v The plates are invertible so that the teeth may project either upwardly or downwardly as indicated by Figures 3 and 9.

hen an article a has been deposited on the fixed jaw 20, a plate 38 may be deposited on the upper side of that article with its tooth l0 projecting downward and another plate 38 may be deposited on the plate first deposited vith its tooth projecting upward to engage another article (I, placed on the article first deposited, all as indicated by Figure 9. j

The back may be provided with two or more T-shaped slots and the movable jaw with two or more T-shaped tongues. There may be any desired number of the loose inclependent plates 38.

It will now be seen that any desired num ber of articles a which may be of any desired thickness may be clamped together between the jaws 20 and 22 and securely confined. The movable jaw may be additionally confined by transverse rows 42 of ratchet teeth on the back and dogs 43 formed on the slide 2% and engageable with the ratchet teeth by movement of the slide 24 tothe position shown by Figure 8. In this instance, the ratchet teeth are formed on the two sections constituting the outer member of the back.

Each loose plate 38 may be provided with an orifice 45 arranged to coincide with the tooth of another plate as shown by Figure 3 so that if an article a of minimum thickness is interposed between the plates, the teeth of each plate may project through or into the orifice of the other plate.

The described binder may be used either with or without a pair of covers 46 and said covers may be connected by a back portion 47. When the covers are used, the member 12 of the back is preferably rounded at one side as shown by Figures 1, t and 9.

I claim 1. A binder comprising arigid oblong back having a front abutment face, the back being provided with T-shaped guiding slots extending across the abutment face and through an edge of the back, and a fixed clamping jaw projecting from another edge of the back and provided with sl1eet-engaging means; and a movable clamping jaw having T-shaped tongues slidablein said slots toward and from the fixed jaw and provided with manually operable locking means whereby it may be locked to the back at various distances from the fixed jaw to confine sheet material interposed between the jaws and bearing on theabutment face.

2. A. binder as specified by. claim 1, the sheet-engaging means including upstanding sheet engaging teeth on the fixed jaw,

3. A binder as specified by claim 1, co1nprising also a plurality of independent plates, each having a. T-shaped tongue slidable in either of the T-shaped slots, and a sheet-em gaging tooth projecting from a side of the plate, the plates being invertible and interposed between the clamping jaws.

4. A binder as specified by claim 1, the movable jaw being provided with sheet-engaging teeth projecting from one of its sides.

5. A binder as specified by claim 1, the movable jaw having a longitudinal channel and the locking means being embodied in a slide movable in said channel and provided with oblique faces arranged to bear on portions of the back when the slide is moved in one direction, and thereby force the movable jaw outwardly and cause its T-shaped tongues to grip the walls of the T-shaped slots and lock the jaw in any position to which it maybe adjusted, the jaw and slide being provided with manually operable means whereby the slide may be moved longitudinally in either direction.-

6. A binder as specified by claim 1, the movable jaw having a longitudinal channel and the locking means being embodied in a slide movable in said channel and provided with oblique faces arranged to bear on portions of the back when the slide is moved in one direction, and thereby force the movable jaw outwardly and cause its T-shaped tongues to g i p the walls of the T-shaped slots and lock the jaw in any position to which it may be adjusted, a manually rotatable pinion connected with the jaw, and a rack formed on the slide and meshing with the pinion, so that the slide may be moved longitudinally in either direction by rotation of the pinion.

'Z'. A binder as specified by claim 1, the movable jaw having a longitudinal channel and the locking means being embodied in a slide movable in said channel and provided with oblique faces arranged to bear on portions of the back when the slide is moved in one direction, and thereby force the mov able jaw outwardly and cause its T-shaped tongues to grip the walls of the T-shaped slots and lock the jaw in any position to which it may be adjusted, the jaw and slide being provided with manually operable means whereby the slide may be moved longitudinally in either direction, the back being provided with transverse rows of ratchet teeth, and the slide with dogs engageable with said teeth by an endwise movement of the slide to additionally lock the movable jaw in any position to which it may be adjusted.

8. In a binder of the character stated, a rigid back having a front abutment face, l shaped guiding slots extending across the abutment face and through an edge face of the back and a fixed clamping jaw projecting from the opposite edge of the abutment face and provided with upstanding sheetengaging spurs.

9, In. a binder of the character stated, a rigid back including a relatively thick rear member, a thin front member having an abutment face, and upper and lower flanges fixed to the front member and bearing on the back member, said flanges being fastened to the back member to space themembers apart, and a fixed clamping jaw projecting from the lower flange and provided with upstanding sheet-engaging spurs, the front member being provided with transverse slots communicating with the space between the members, and the upper flange with longitudinal slots communicating with said space and with the transverse slots, said transverse and leno'itudinal slots enllectivel constituting T-shaped slots adapted to receive T-shupecl tongues on movable binder elements.

10. A binder element eomposecl of a channeled movable jaw having T-shqped tongues,

projecting from its open side, and a locking shde movable longxtndmally 1n the 1am and provided with projecting oblique laces, tllel slide beingprovided with a rack and the jaw U0 with a manually rotatable pinion meshing with the rack.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

GEORGE M. DANIELS. 

